Silk screen printing devices and method of manufacturing same



July 5, 1960 M. s. MALEK 2,943,565

SILK SCREEN PRINTING DEVICES AND METHOD OF' MANUFACTURING SAME Filed May 2l. 1953 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Z5 N Zc 1N V EN TOR.

July s, 19Go M s. MLER- 2,943,565

SILK SCREEN PRINTING DEVICES AND METHOD OF' MANUFACTURING SAME Filed May 2l, 1953 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 :La E JNVENToR.

o Waffe/J :Si MAM/f July 5, 1950 M. s. MALEK 2,943,565

SILK SCREEN PRINTING DEVICES AND METHOD oF MANUFACTURING SAME Filed May 21, 1953 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 F iq. E.

'IN'VENTOR. f' /Mo//.s 5 MAM/1( BY United States .Patent SDLK SCREEN PRINTING DEVICES AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING SAME Morris S. Malek, New York, N.Y.;` '.lack H. Malek, ad-

ministrator of said Morris S. Malek, deceased, assignor to himself Filed May 21, 1953, ser. No. 356,390

Y a 2 claims. (c1. lol-127.1)

silk screen stencil carrier unit of novel construction, an

improved method of manufacturing same for use in combination with an improved supporting frame and work registering base mounting, which carrier unit shall be simple in construction, relativelytcheap and easy to manufacture and assemble by a novel and improved method,V

which shall be rugged yet light in weight, which carrier unit construction shall facilitate storing Vfor futureruse in a compactV nested condition and be` readily mountable and demountableiin a supporting frame, which frame shall provide means for ready interchangeable mounting of thenovel' silk screen stencil carrier units, which supporting frame shall bepractical and ecient for use'in4 quantity printing in combination with the work registering base mounting on a commercial scaleV and also for use wit-h a handle support in the home as ya hobby, which work registering base mounting shall be capable of supporting the stencil carrier unit in proper alignment on the work in paint, ink or dye applying position and counterbal'anced for displacement upwardly and laterally to a position clearing the wor-k table, which shall incorporate a simple but accurate means for laying out and retaining Vthe work in proper register with the stencil carrier designs `for printing. f Other objectspof the invention will in part be obvious and in part hereinafter pointed out.

The invention, accordingly, consists of features of construction, combinations` of elements, arrangements of parts and steps of a method of'manufacture which will be'exemplified in the apparatus and the method hereinafter described and of which the scope of the application will -be indicated in the claims following.

`In the accompanying drawing in which possible illustrative embodiments of the invention are shown,

Fig. 1 is a plan viewtof supporting frame and wor-k registering base having parts mounted andV counterbalanced for clearing the operational steps and showing the improved silk screen stencil carrier assembly embodying the invention in an effective position for printing onY base, and the improved silk screen stencil carrier, portions of the work base and stencil carrier being broken,`

awayfto expose the cooperative assembly thereof.

Fig. 3 is a plan View similar to Fig. 1 showing registering base and stencil carrier assembly moved in a coun- 943,565- ijrpatrentd July 5, T1960- terbalanced position for clearing the work table top during the operational steps.

Fig. 4 is a front elevational view showing in full lines the supporting frame and work registering base and stencil carrier `assembly in position corresponding to that shown in Fig. 1 with the table removed; and in dotted lines, said assembly being in the counterbalanced position corresponding to that shown in Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 isV an exploded perspective view of the improved silk screen stencil carrier aligned for assembly between the open-sided outer and inner boxes of the supporting frame before assembly.

Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 6-6 in Fig. 4 showing details of the cou-nterbalance of the supporting frame 'but with the stencil carrier in operative position between open-sided outer and inner boxes of said frame assembly on the work table top.

Figs. 7, 8, 8a and 9 are views of the successive steps in the improved method of manufacturing the silk screen stencil unit construction embodying the invention, Fig. 7 showing the parts thereof superimposed before bending, Fig. 8 showing the silk `screen layer stretched about the stiifening ring and clamped by the inturned rim border of the framing member as shown in cross-section in Fig. 8a, and Fig. 9 showing the inwardly tapered contour proice,

vided, said framing member being formed between mating dies. Y

Fig. l0 is la fragmentary side elevational view of acamming modified form of base counterbalancing construction forthe improved -frame and work registering base embodying the invention, and

Fig. 11is a cross-section taken on line 11-11 in Fig. 10 showing details ,of-a portion of said camming modification form; Y

Referring in detail to the drawing, 20 denotes an im= `proved-frame and work registering base fitted with a *zontally disposed platform P rigidly positioned at a level below a horizontally extending work table top T.

Upstanding vertically from platform P, there may be provided a cylindrical mast or stanchion 22 having a lower end 22a -rmly anchored to extend through a shouldered socket iitting portion 23a of a suitable supfA port, vsuch as, base. member 23, the latter'v being rigidly secured to platform P in any suitable manner by spaced apart screws 23e, Vsaid stanchion end V22a terminating inv lock washer and clamping nut 24 in recessed relation into theY underside of said base member 23. Said shouldered commodates a pivoting end ring 25a of a yradially-swingable design aligning hamer 25. Mounted for movement up and down along and rotas tion about stanchion 22, there is provided a rider block 26 having a bearing liner 26a. Said rider block 26 may have a suitable coupling extension end 2Gb, and, as shown n Figs. l, 2, 3 and 6, includes an angle clamp jaw plate 26e releasably retained to said extension end 26b .and against spacedyapart levelling ,headedrpins 26j by spaced apart threaded studs and finger screws 26d.

Each jaw end 26 of said clamp jaw plate 26a may extend part way down along a vertical side terminating block coupling extension end 26b, and may Vbe formed with Va chamferedrsurface 26f extending in a downwardly direction, said block .coupling extension vertical side end face 26g extending in an upwardly direction and spaced 3 from said block extension chamfered surface 26f so that when finger screws 26d tighten clamp plate 26C, said chamfered edge surfaces 26f and 26g provide a dovetail form of jaw construction for rigidly coupling with dove-tail pr`o'jection`21b of outer op'en-sided'box 21a of stencil carrier unit supporting frame 21, for example, as

shown Vin dotted'line's in Fig. 4 and in full lines in Fig. 6.

Y For counterbalancing the rider block 26 and stencil carrier unit supporting frame assembly 21 coupled to move up and down along stanchion 22, the latter may terminate at the upper end or mast head in an L-shaped arm 27 which may be positioned to extend in a direction relative to the length of'table top T. Suitable tension means, as' for example, a helically wound spring 28 is provided, one end of which engages grooved arm end 27a, the other end of spring 28 being anchored to eyelety 26h projecting up from rider block 26, as shown in Figs. l, 3 and 6.

Swivelling or camming movement of rider block 26 coupled with stencil carrier unit supporting frame assembly 21 about stanchion 22 may be limited and controlled in any suitable manner. 4 and 6, for this purpose there is provided a bent guiding rod 29 which is effective to turn said rider block 26 and stencil carrier unit supporting frame assembly 21 a desired angle, here shown as about 90, from a lowered effective working position of the latter, shown in Figs. l, 2 and 6, to a counterbalanccd raised work clearance position, shown in Figs. 3 and in dotted lines in Fig. 4.

' To effect said turning movement about stanchion 22, rider block 26 has two outwardly projecting pins 29a spaced apart to permit free sliding and limited swivelling thereof along said guiding rod 29 so that when said rider block 26 and stencil carrier unit supporting frame assembly 21 are brought into raised or elevated position, counterbalanced against the action of spring 28, the rider block 26- and stencil carrier unit supporting frame assembly 21 automatically swing in a relatively right angle relation. Y Y

Guiding rod 29 may have opposite ends thereof rigidly supported and, as seen in Fig. 6, are neatly fitted into base member 23 and the upper end portion of stanchion 22 at 29b and V29C, respectively, said ends being firmly secured by suitable means, such as, set screws 29d.

Stencil carrier unit supporting frame assembly 21, as is clear from Figs. 1, 2, 4 and 5, besides including outer open-sided box 21a also has nested therein inner opensided box 21C between which silk screen stencil unit 30 is neatly fitted to provide a receptacle having a top open-side 21d into whichV paint, dye or ink is introduced for spreading by a squeegee S. The latter may have a handle H and exible blade B for resiliently bearing against horizontally disposed silk screen 30a of stencil unit 30 of supporting frame 21. Said screen 30a may be provided with a desired design configuration C, such as, foor example, a star shown in Figs. l, 3 and 5, prepared and provided on said screen 30a in the well understood manner.

The improved construction and manufacture of silk screen stencil unit 30 is a feature of the invention. Said stencil screen unit 30, as shown in Figs. 7, 8, 8a and 9, may be constructed with a relatively continuous stiff perimetrically extending rim border 30b formed to provide a dished structure. To that end, the following method of manufacture has been found to give satisfactory results.

A fiat sheet or layer, such as, sheet metal, suitable plastic or material of similar stiffness, may be cut to a pattern contour blank 30e having a central throughopening 30d, as shown in Fig. 7. On saidcut blank 30e is superimposed silk screen 30a positioned to lie over said opening 30d. On said silk screen 30a, a bracing ring 30e may be superimposed to extend throughout the mid-portion of blank 30e between the rim edge As shown in Figs. 1, 3, Y

'4 of through-opening 30d and outer or contour rim edge thereof. As shown in Figs. 8 and 8a, the rim border of blank 30C together with rim border of silk screen 30a may then be folded over to clamp bracing ring 30e in any suitable manner for retaining silk screen 30a in a frame.

The silk screen unit structure thus partially finished may be placed between a pair of mating dies D in a press or vise (not shown) where the rim border 30b is given a desired dish-shape for use with outer box 21a -and inner box 21C as an assembly 21 and simultaneously tautly stretching the silk screen 30a against stress and strain of blade B of squeegee S in spreading paint, dye or ink thereover, as is clear from Figs. 6 and 9.

In order that the above described silk screen stencil unit 30 may be fitted and assembled for proper operation between inner open-sided box 21C yand outer open-sided box 21a, the latter may be provided at the bottom with an inwardly extending ange either formed integrally therewithy or, as here shown, formed as a strip or ring 21]c secured in any suitable manner, as by spaced apart screws 21g to the bottom edge surface of outer-opensided box 21a, said strip or ring 21f being inwardly extended and having a chamfered surface 21h to conform to the underside ofrirn border 30b, as is clear from Figs. 2 and 6. The bottom of inner open-sided box 21C is provided with a gasket 21e of rubber or other suitable material having a down and insloping surface conforming tothe upper side of rim border 30b of unit 30 to form a liquid-tight seal or joint. Outer open-sided box 21a and inner open-sided box 21C with silk screen stencil unit 30 nested therebetween may be interlocked in any suitable manner, as for example, with a threaded stud and finger screw 21]` operating a clamping plate 21k on opposite sides of outer open-sided box 21a.

Design aligning framer 25 may be formed with a transparent window ZSb of any suitable material, such as, a plastic sheet similar in size and shape to silk screen `stencil unit 30. Said window ZSb may have a stiifened casement 25C, and, as is clear from Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4 and 6, is horizontally disposed in parallel relation to freely swing on arm 25d which interconnects Casement 25e with pivoting end ring 25a between the frame assembly 21 and work table top T. Suitable top means is provided for releasably retaining design aligning framer 25 in its fabric aligning operative position above table top T shown in Fig. 3. Such stop means may comprise a spring pressed ball 25e extending inwardly from end ring 25a and notch 23d formed in the side of upstanding boss 23h, as shown in Figs. 3 and 6.

Transparent window 25b may be provided with suitablehairlines for aligning designs corresponding to configuration C of silk screen 30a to print on a fabric F or the like material when spread at and smooth on table top T in the manner hereinbefore described. Fabric F may be retained in position by suitable means, as for example, bar weights or, as is shown in Figs. 1 and 2, by spaced apart steel strips W which are retained on the fabric F by suitable magnets M positioned to extend throl'gh the work table a spaced distance below table top After constructing the parts and assembling-same as described above and shown in the drawing, the operation and utility of the invention will be apparent.

Stencil carrier assembly 21 is swung aside in an elevated clearance position and a piece of fabric F or other material to be silk screen printed is spread at and smooth on table top T. Design aligning framer 25 is then positioned over the fabric F and is held in a predetermined fabric aligning position by spring pressed ball 25e engaging notch 23d, as is clear from Fig. 3. The

region of the fabric F on which design configuration C is to be applied is then brought into proper registry in relation to the hairlines on transparent window 23b by simply shifting fabric F on the table top T and then may be retained in the desired registration position byv steel strips W placed thereover or by any other well known means. Y v

Design aligning framer`25 isthen swung into clearanceposition away from fabric-F on ,table top T, as shown in Figs. l, 2. and 6, and stencil carrier frame assembly 21 swung and lowered to an aligned printing position in close proximity to spread out fabric F on table top T. N owthe application of design configuration C can be carried out by simplyV pouring paint, dye or inkinto innner box 2 1 through said open side 21d and onimanipulatinghandle H of squeegee S to and vfro in innen box 21e, blade B works the paint, dye or ink through silk screen 30a printing the design configuration C in properly positioned alignment on fabric F.

The improved pan-shaped form of silk screen stencil unit 30 tted between inner and outer open-sided boxes 21e and 21a, respectively, reduces to a minimum accidental splashing of Ithe paint, dye or ink during squeegeeing or seeping over the perimeter of said carrier unit frame assembly 21 and thereby eliminates accidental staining of the fabric F.

It should also be noted that with the above described improved construction and arrangement, the silk screen 30a is brought into close contact with fabric F and is subjected to less stretching, straining and stress during the squeegeeing transferring of design configuration C to fabric F. The improved construction of stencil unit 30 is not only of simple construction that can be inexpensively manufactured in quantity production but is rugged and can withstand even the roughest or unskilled handling. Said stencil unit 30 because of its dish shape also is adapted to be compactly nested for storage and strengthened for package shipment.

Silk screen stencil units 30 having different design configurations C for printing on fabric F are readily interchangeable by simply releasing nger screws 211' and clamping plate 21k to remove inner open-sided box 21e from carrier unit frame assembly 21. Then seated stencil unit 30 can be removed through top open-side 21d and another unit 30 placed into outer open-sided box 21a, preshaped rim border 30b serving to self-seat unit 30 on chamfered surface 21h of strip or ring 21j. Inner open-sided box 21e is then replaced and fastened in position by finger screws 21j and clamping plate 21k, as is clear from Figs. 4, 5 and 6.

Where the nature of the printing requires silk screens 30a having configuration C of different sizes or shapes, stencil carrier unit frame assembly 21 can be readily and easily interchanged by simply turning nger screws 26d to release angle clamp jaw plate 26e so that frame assembly unit 21 may be slipped sideways free of rider block 26 and replaced by an assembly unit of a different size or shape, as is clear from Figs. 4 and 6.

As already above described, stencil carrier frame assembly 21 is counterbalanced by the action of tension spring 28 and swivelling movement of said frame assembly 21 with rider block 26 on up and down movement of the latter on stanchion 22 taking place by the camming effect of pins 29a riding on guiding rod 29 so that carrier frame assembly 21 is easily elevated and swung to work table top T clearance, or readily lowered into effective aligning position in the automatic manner described. In the latter position, pins 29a may be steadied against lateral movements by providing suitable means, such as, stall forming angle pieces 31 adjustably screw fastened to base support member 23, between whioh said pins 29a are retained to secure said frame assembly 21 in a predetermined alignment with respect to the hairlines on transparent window ZSb when design aligning framer 25 is retained in its operative position over work table top T, as is clear from Figs. 1 and 6.

As a modified camming construction for producing the automatic swing and raising or lowering of the supporting havingacylindrical portion 126a formed .with cam fol-A lower groove 126b into which extends an end 129b of' in place of guiding rod` 29 and pins.; 29d described above, there may be provided as shown in Figs. 10 and 11 for stanchion 22. rider block`126 an v|.`.shaped guide pin 129, the latter having its other fitted end 12911 rigidly mounted in base member 23. On

raising or lowering rider block 1 26 with counterbalancedv stencil frame assembly 21, the latter is swung into clearance or aligning position in the same manner as described above when the guiding rod Z9 and pins 29a are used.

As a hobby, the invention may be inexpensively used for non-professional services lby merely constructing stencil carrier unit supporting frame assembly 21 with a suitable handle extending from outer open-sided box 21a in any well understood manner, as for example, by a handle K provided with suitable clamping jaws for engaging dove-tail projection 2lb, as shown in broken lines in Fig. 5, without the counterbalancing support described above and manually aligning the design configuration C on silk screen 30a to desired portions of fabric F.

The improved steps for manufacturing silk screen stencil unit 30 are shown in Figs. 7, 8, 8a and 9 and have been fully set forth above in describing the construction thereof.

It is thus seen that there is provided improved silk screen printing devices and an improved method for manufacturing silk screen stencil units in which the several objects of the invention are achieved and which are well adapted to meet conditions of practical use.

As various possible embodiments might be made in the above invention, and as various changes might be made in the device and method above set forth, it is to be understood that all the matters herein set forth or shown in the accompanying drawings are to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

l. A stencil carrier unit supporting frame assembly of the character described comprising an outer box frame having a bottom side for resting on a horizontal table top formed with a through-opening extending upwardly to a top side, a flange extending inwardly into the opening of the outer box frame bottom side and being formed with an upwardly facing chamfered surface forming a seat, an inner box frame sized for nesting in the throughopening of said outer box frame, an interchangeable dishshaped silk screen stencil unit having a peripheral border member thereof forming sloping dish sides conforming to said chamfered surface for seating thereon between said outer and inner box frames, said inner box frame having a bottom sealing means for contacting the upper surfaces of the peripheral border member to form a tight joint therebetween so that the silk screen stencil unit serves as a receptacle bottom closure wherethrough a print coloring material is forced, and releasable means for retaining said outer box frame, stencil unit and inner box frame in nested assembly.

2. A stencil carrier unit supporting frame assembly of the character described comprising `a stencil screen unit having a relatively rigid border member formed with a central opening, said border member having a fold extending lengthwise about said opening, a porous iiexible sheet material spread flat |over said opening and having a rim edge thereof extending into vsaid fold and clamped in a stretched taut condition, said folded border member constructed and arranged to slope with respect to the at spread sheet material extending over said opening providing a dish-shaped structure for said stencil unit and exerting a stretching force on said sheet material, said stencil screen unit being `interchangeably assembled between an inner open-ended box frame nested in an outer open-ended box frame, rim edges of said box frames each having a contour sized to.conforn1to the sloping` border member of said dish-shaped stencil unit,rsaid rim edges of said box frameswith the sloping border ofisaidv stencil unit4 forming a. tight joint so that thescreenunit.

serves as a receptacle bottom closure for said assembly Wherethrough a print coloring material is forced, and releasable means for retaining said outer box frame, stenci1 unit and inner box frame innested assembly.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 155,879 McDonald Oct.V 13, 18,74 280,446 Callow July 3, 1883 370,947 Jones Oct. 4, 1887 

